Liverpool 0 Manchester City 0 - JOTS, Stats Link & Post Match Reax | Vital Football

Liverpool 0 Manchester City 0 - JOTS, Stats Link & Post Match Reax

Johnny Baguette

Johnny Baguette

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Johnny On The Spot: It wasn’t the Liverpudlian procession that the pundits craved with honours even on Merseyside. A hectic but awry first half saw two immensely talented sides stuttering 60%-40% in Liverpool’s disjointed favour overseen by an abysmal Martin Atkinson. After weathering Jurgen Klopp’s obligatory dogs chasing sticks opening 15 minutes, City worked hard to get a foot-hold in the game and achieved it to the chagrin of the home support and the people’s champions media machine, the Blues coming into the game the fresher side. There was an element of make sure about City in the last 10 minutes of the opening period with Laporte excelling. Was Pep Guardiola tactically looking to exploit any “Napoli legs” in the second period? Following some harrowing experiences here of late City would easily be the happier side with parity at the break. However, neither one of City’s full backs had let the handbrakes off. The game could go either way and probably would…. Liverpool barrelled out of the traps after the break looking determined to see City off rapidly and the game suddenly opened up, pantomime season with it briefly too as the two managers exchanged words over Henderson’s embarrassing over reaction to an Aguero foul. The edginess surrounding the game then returned and increased along with an erratic if frantic ebb and flow. Maybe an individual piece of brilliance or a mistake could tip the finely balanced stakes…both sides had been guilty of coughing up possession cheaply. The roof then blew off the place as City’s most expensive player Mahrez, pulling rank on Jesus, threw away a penalty gifted by the world’s most expensive defender Van Dijk who had badly mistimed a challenge on Sané. It was a shockingly unacceptable miss by a man who had missed 3 penaties in 5 previously. It sparked a reprieved Liverpool into life and they kitchen sinked the situation to the full time whistle…City go into the second international break top of the table but rueing a golden chance to break that Anfield hoodoo. Man of The Match for me was Laporte, imperious throughout.

https://manchestercity.vitalfootball.co.uk/city-stay-top-but-anfield-hoodoo-prevails/
 
City went toe-to-toe with the Champions Elect but it was a big opportunity thrown away, not just the points but more to put a cap on the end of that abysmal record at this ground
 
Virgil van Dijk: "It is not smart to dive in there. It was a penalty and it shouldn't have happened, but I'm very happy we didn't concede."

"I watched it because I wanted to get the rebound if he missed it.
"They did well, as did we, up until the penalty moment. We were unlucky not to score, and lucky not to concede as well, so I think we canceled each other out. It was a tough game against the champions and I'm happy we kept the clean sheet. We wanted to bounce back from our defeat to Napoli and I think we did that."
 
Bugger me, I’ve just read through the MDT. Must have been a difficult watch towards the end when one goal would clinch it. Why did Mahrez take the pen.
 
BBC:

Among players to have taken at least 10 penalties in the Premier League, only Juan Pablo Angel (50%, 5/10) has a lower success rate than Riyad Mahrez (58%, 7/12).
 
John Stones: "So close, it is one of those things in football. Riyad Mahrez was taking them really well in training all week, but it happens and we have to move on.
"It got their crowd going so we had to dig in because those moments can go both ways, so we had to keep our heads. It is progress from last season, they are a top team and to get a clean sheet at Anfield is something all of the team are really proud of.
"It was a tactical battle today and everyone put a shift in for the team."

"I think it was just decided between the boys for the penalty. He is deflated and I think he feels he let us down, but he gave everything and he kept the ball well, and had he scored it would have made his day.

"Their attacking threat is brilliant and we stopped that today. We defended as a team and not just a back four, and we kept them to the least number of chances we could. It was always going to go right to the end."

"We stood strong and showed great mental strength. How we played was different to previous seaons, we used the ball better.
"We were so defensively solid. It was two tactical sides up against each other and it was fine margins either way which could have won the game."
 
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Taking a step back. This was Liverpool’s big moment and they blew it. By the time they go to Huddersfield they will not have tasted victory for a month, now 4 games without a win. I genuinely thought Mahrez was our most potent threat until the penno. I think he was desperate to score. We move on. Kev back fully fit for Burnley.
 
To be where we are......and without KDB.

It was interesting that this was not mentioned in the tv commentary (that i noticed).
 
A further step back. Unbeaten at resurgent Arsenal and then at Liverpool whose season could yet unravel as ours did around this time first season under Pep following a blistering start.
 
Pep Guardiola: "We competed and we controlled them in terms of the counter attack with their front three. Our back four was so good and we enjoyed a lot of patient build up, but we didn’t create much after that. It’s a good result.

"We tried to win and we didn’t concede at Anfield which is quite special. We had our chance and we tried to be ourselves."

"Mahrez had the courage and the balls to take the penalty, in training he shoots perfect penalties but sometimes it happens. The usual taker is Sergio Aguero but he wasn't there. We played so well so if you want to analyse the result it was ok. Last season we lost here, and this season we drew, maybe next season we will win."
 
Bluedub said:
Delighted with that result, that psychological edge that Liverpool had is now gone. Well in City.
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It was a solid result. The penalty was the icing but that aside that result ought to be a tremendous boost. Stonesy summed it up perfectly. Who knows how important that point will be later oninthe season.
 
The excuses for Liverpool we’re coming thick and fast from Sky commentators and no credit at all for City. A good point away from home.

Loved it when City fans sang ‘you nearly won the league’

When Milner subbed with injury he was clapped off by the dippers and City fans merely waved goodbye
 
Rising said:
Is Sergio ok? I see he went off early.
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I remember Pep saying he was playing with an ankle injury got in the toons match, I think it may be a carry on from that and in form Sergio could have been the difference, but rather than make the injury worse they took him off for safety reasons
 
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